Metronome.



C. A. RICHMOND.

METRONOME.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23. 1911.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

I xi

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL A. RICHMOND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

METRONOME.

Application filed June 23, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL A. RICHMOND, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chithe following is a specification.

The principal ob ect of my 1nvent1on is to provide a new and nnproved instrument for indicating time for piano players and other musicians. This object and other objects and uses of a device made in accordance with my invention will be readily appreciated from the following description of a specific embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawingsFigure 1 is a perspective view of my device as mounted in operating position on a piano. Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the device, the lower part being shown in section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing how the parts are assembledwhen not in use. Fig. 1 is a section on the line 1 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail view showing the opposite side of the tape from that exhibited in Fig. 2.

In a general way this device comprisesa pendulum bob 15 suspended by a flexible tape 16 from a flat plate 17. This plate 17 is adapted to be slipped between the leaves of a book 18 which may rest on the top of a piano or table projecting slightly over the edge thereof. Thus the book 18 clamping the plate 17 between its leaves furnishes a support from which the tape 16 hangs with the bob 15 at its lower end. The upper end of the tape 16 is secured to the plate 17 by means of links and a staple 20.

The tape 16 is graduated on one side with numerals 21 which indicate the number of beats per minute that the bob 15 will make when swinging freely as a pendulum at the corresponding position on the tape. On the other side the tape 16 is marked into spaces by the bars 22 and these spaces are labeled with the words Presto Allegro and other words commonly used to indicate the time in which musical compositions are to be played.

The bob 15 comprises a casing made up of two half shells 2 1 and 33 united as shown in Fig. 4. Through a slot 23 the tape 16 passes to the interior of the bob 15. The cylinder 25 projects inwardly from the center of the shell 2% on which it is rigidly fixed. Guides 26 project from this cylinder as shown in Fig. 4. The disk 27 is centered on Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 19, 1915.

Serial No. 634,925.

the cylinder 25 and free to rotate around the same. This disk 27 carries a drum 28 on its periphery and the tape 16 has one end attached to this drum 28- and winds upon the same. A spiral spring 35 has one end attached to the cylinder 25 and the other to the drum 28 and exerts tension tending to wind the tape 16 on the drum 28. The disk 27 has a circumferential row of ratchet teeth 29 on its face which are engaged by the bar 31 lying in the slots between the guides 26. This bar 31 carries a projecting stud 30 which may be pressed by the finger of the operator to disengage it from the teeth 29. Normally the spring 32 holds the bar 31 in engagement with the teeth 29.

The metal band 3% in the shape of a loopis fastened to the face of the half shell 33.

When the device is not in use the metal plate 17 is slipped within the band or loop 34; as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The plate 17 is slightly wider at the point 36 than elsewhere so that it fits firmly in the loop 3 1. After assembling the parts in this way a pressure with the finger on the stud 30 withdraws the bar 31 from the ratchet teeth 29 and permits the spring 35 to wind the tape 16 on the drum 28 taking up all the slack in the tape 16.

When the device is to be used the plate 17 is withdrawn from the band 31 and the tape 16 pulled out until the appropriate reading thereon comes opposite the slot 23. Then the plate 17 is thrust between the leaves of the book 18 and the device is operated as shown in Fig. 1.

My improved metronome is inexpensive to manufacture, very convenient in its small size when not in use and serviceable in giving any desired time to a musician. After it is hung in the manner shown in Fig. 1 a slight push of the hand sets it to vibrating and the musician can count one for each beat and thus get his time. It will continue swinging for several minutes and after it dies down can easily be started again with a push of the hand if desired. It is absolutely noiseless so that there is no interference with the music in this way. If desired, it can be placed where it comes just within the field of vision at one side of the sheet of music and a player will very easily learn to get his time from it although all the time directing his gaze on the music sheet.

I claim 1. A metronome comprising a flexible graduated tape, a bob, means to adjust the bob at any desired graduation on the tape, a flat member attached to the end of the tape and adapted to go between the leaves of a book, and means to engage the plate and the bob with one another when the device is not in use.

2. A metronome comprising a flat plate adapted to go between the leaves of a book, a flexible graduated tape having one end thereof connected to the end of said plate, a hollow hob, and a winding drum within said bob, the other end of said tape passing into the bob and being connected to said drum, the graduations of said tape being adapted to register with the place where the tape enters the hob and thereby indicate the time at which the device will operate as a pendulum.

3. A metronome comprising a flat member adapted to go between the leaves of a book, a flexible tape connected to one end thereof by means of a joint permitting universal angular movement of the tape with respect to the said member without flexing the tape, a bob at the other end of the tape, and means to wind the tape in or out of the bob and thereby adjust the bob on the tape at any desired distance from said flat member.

at. A metronome comprising a flexible graduated tape, a flat member attached to one end of the tape and adapted to engage with a book, a bob, a winding drum carried by the bob, said tape winding upon said drum, and means for fastening the bob directly to the flat member, comprising a rigid attachment on the bob adapted to be engaged by the flat member.

5. A metronome comprising a flexible graduated tape, a flat member attached to the tape and adapted to slip between the leaves of a book, a bob also attached to the tape, means to adjust the length of the tape between said member and bob, and means carried by the bob adapted to engage directly with the flat member when the device is not in use.

6. A metronome comprising a flexible graduated tape, a member attached to the tape and adapted to slip between the leaves of a book and be held thereby, a bob also attached to the tape, means to adjust the length of the tape between the points of attachment thereof to said member and bob, and a socket carried by the bob adapted to receive said member when the device is not in use.

7. A metronome comprising a flexible graduated tape, a flat member having one end thereof attached to the tape by a link so as to permit universal angular movement between the end of the tape and the said flat member without bending the tape, said flat member being adapted to slip between the leaves of a book, a bob also attached to the tape, a winding drum within the bob, :1 spiral spring within the drum adapted to wind the tape thereon, means to lock the drum in any desired position and thereby fix the length of the tape between the said flat member and bob at any desired adjustment, and a socket carried by the bob adapted to receive the flat member when the device is not in use.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

CARL A. RICHMOND.

lVitnesses:

HENRY A. PARKS, ANNIE C. COURTENAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C. 

